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Foundation Lookup

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 13-3799186

The WLS Spencer Foundation

A private foundation in New York, NY. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 21 grants and $1.6 million paid in grants.

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Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Accepts applications

The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.

Contact person
On file
Phone
On file
Mailing address
On file
Form and materials
On file
Deadlines
No submission deadlines
Restrictions
No restrictions or limitations on awards

Contact person, phone, mailing address and application materials on file. See them with a plan.

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Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.

  • Tax year 2025

    $1,626,892

    Grants listed
    21
    Assets, end of year
    $8,943,582

  • Tax year 2024

    $1,349,201

    Grants listed
    22
    Assets, end of year
    $8,853,911

  • Tax year 2023

    $1,554,171

    Grants listed
    29
    Assets, end of year
    $9,185,734

  • Tax year 2022

    $1,524,538

    Grants listed
    39
    Assets, end of year
    $9,800,045

  • Tax year 2021

    $1,481,447

    Grants listed
    39
    Assets, end of year
    $10,574,247

  • Tax year 2020

    $825,393

    Grants listed
    32
    Assets, end of year
    $10,644,384

  • Tax year 2019

    $1,312,500

    Grants listed
    37
    Assets, end of year
    $10,710,363

  • Tax year 2018

    $1,033,862

    Grants listed
    30
    Assets, end of year
    $11,366,069

Grants paid in 2025

21 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary ArtNorth Adams, MA

    Digital strategy implementation

    $250,000
  2. The Surfrider FoundationSan Clemente, CA

    To support the plastic pollution initiative

    $250,000
  3. Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncPurchase, NY

    MS gift PM north county hii

    $175,000
  4. University of Oregon FoundationEugene, OR

    To support the contemporary chinese photography collection

    $170,526
  5. Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncPurchase, NY

    MS gift PM north county hii

    $125,000
  6. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary ArtNorth Adams, MA

    Development of a new department of public programs

    $100,000
  7. KLCC Public Radio FoundationEugene, OR

    Journalism fellowship and arts reporting

    $75,000
  8. Charitable Partnership FundPortland, OR

    Undergrowth educational print fund apprenticeship and artist in residence programs

    $60,000
  9. Lane County School District 4JEugene, OR

    To support avid elementary school and summer institute programs

    $50,180
  10. Lane Arts CouncilEugene, OR

    Arts education and cultural programming in lane county

    $50,000
  11. Museum AssociatesLos Angeles, CA

    To support the "zheng chongbin: golden state" exhibition and associated programming

    $50,000
  12. Solomon R Guggenheim FoundationNew York, NY

    To support the "do ho suh" exhibition and associated programming

    $50,000
  13. The John G Shedd Institute for the ArtsEugene, OR

    Capital campaign

    $50,000
  14. Smart ReadingPortland, OR

    Smart reading programs in lane county

    $40,000
  15. Seattle Art MuseumSeattle, WA

    To support the "ai, rebel: the art and activism of ai weiwei" exhibition and associated programming

    $31,186
  16. Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation & DevelopmentCorvallis, OR

    Many bridges exhibition and associated programming

    $20,000
  17. Eugene Southtowne Rotary FoundationEugene, OR

    To support first-generation college scholarships for avid graduates

    $20,000
  18. Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncPurchase, NY

    MS gift PM north county hii

    $20,000
  19. The Breakthrough Collaborative IncOakland, CA

    To support the national teaching fellow initiative

    $20,000
  20. Food for Lane CountyEugene, OR

    General support

    $10,000
  21. Planned Parenthood of Southwestern OregonEugene, OR

    For general support

    $10,000

Approved for future payment

7 grants

Approved in 2025 and not yet paid.

  1. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary ArtNorth Adams, MA

    Digital strategy implementation

    $750,000
  2. Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncPurchase, NY

    MS gift PM north county hii

    $300,000
  3. KLCC Public Radio FoundationEugene, OR

    Journalism fellowship and arts reporting

    $150,000
  4. Lane Arts CouncilEugene, OR

    Arts education and cultural programming in lane county

    $100,000
  5. Charitable Partnership FundPortland, OR

    Undergrowth educational print fund apprenticeship and artist in residence programs

    $60,000
  6. Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncPurchase, NY

    MS gift PM north county hii

    $50,000
  7. Smart ReadingPortland, OR

    Smart reading programs in lane county

    $40,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Education5 grants $580,52647% of the total
  2. Environment1 grant $250,00020% of the total
  3. Arts and culture5 grants $231,18619% of the total
  4. Community development2 grants $95,0008% of the total
  5. Philanthropy and grantmaking2 grants $80,0006% of the total
  6. Health1 grant $10,000<1% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Oregon11 grants $555,706
  2. New York4 grants $370,000
  3. Massachusetts2 grants $350,000
  4. California3 grants $320,000
  5. Washington1 grant $31,186

Officers, directors and trustees

7 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • John S Wadsworth JrCIO EMERITUS Hours 2Pay $0
  • Bette Sue WadsworthCEO EMERITUS Hours 2Pay $0
  • John S Wadsworth IIITREASURER Hours 2Pay $0
  • Elizabeth Jane WadsworthCEO Hours 2Pay $0
  • Paul William PeppisVICE PRESIDENT Hours 2Pay $0
  • Shannon WadsworthDIRECTOR Hours 2Pay $0
  • Christopher WadsworthDIRECTOR Hours 2Pay $0

The return

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